IF I sinned - Job 31

 Job 31:9-12 (ESV)

“If my heart has been enticed toward a woman,

and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,

then let my wife grind for another,

and let others bow down on her.

For that would be a heinous crime;

that would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges;

for that would be a fire that consumes as far as Abaddon,

and it would burn to the root all my increase.

Chapter 31 is the last we hear of Job’s complaint narrative toward God.  In the following chapter we hear from a fourth friend of Job, Elihu, and then from God himself.  Job will have brief responses from this point on.  In this chapter Job lays out several “if” statements.  He is trying to make a point.  He agrees with his other three friends (who have accused him of sinning and thus the reasons for his suffering).  Job agrees that “if” he did sin, as they say, he would deserve all this suffering.   He, of course, maintains his innocence and these “if” statements are followed by a silent, but assumed, BUT I DIDN’T, response from Job. 

In the above “if” example, we read about Job coveting in his heart another man’s wife. In the text he writes about his heart “enticed” to another man’s wife.  He writes of lurking at the door of the other man and secretly having her in a sexual manner.  He thinks this is so bad (IF he did it) that other men should equally have his wife in the same way he had another man’s wife.  He believes this IF is so bad, it should have everlasting suffer (he is probably saying even my current suffering does not pay for such a heinous sin against mankind and God).   We know that Job has not done this or anything like it (re-read chapters one and two).  But, Job does give us some insights about the sin and perhaps how to avoid it.   Notice that Job tells us this sin, starts with the heart.   Jesus stated the same thing:

Matthew 5:27-28 (ESV)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Guard your heart because the IF does become the DONE.